Horse-checking device.



No. 695,390. v --Pgtented Mar. n, I902.

' A. P., HANSEN.

HORSE cuscxma DEVICE.

( m lication-med my 15, 1901.

(No Model'.)

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PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREWV P. HANSEN, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

HORSE-CHECKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,390, dated March 11 1902.

Application filed May 18, 1901; Serial No. 60,890. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW P. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at and whose post-office address is No. 3450 South Fifteenth street, Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Horse- Ghecking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto horse-checkin g devices, the object in view being to provide," in connection with a vehicle, means whereby the draft-animals in case they attempt to run away may be checked and brought to a standsti To this end theinvention consists in mounting the whiffletree in such manner that it may be released and allowed to slide a limited distance lengthwise of the draft pole or tongue, such arrangement, in connection with a fixed check-strap which connects with the bridles.

of the animals, serving to draw the heads of the animals together, and thereby bending the necks of the animals and making their positions so awkwardthat it will be impossible for'them to'runfor any greatdistance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully in the course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in a horse-checking device embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a draft pole or tongue, showing the sliding whiffletree and check-strap. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section;

1 its upper end with a head 18, the whiffletree being arranged above the tongue in the ordinary manner.

The pivot pin or bolt 12 is held in place by means of a pin-retaining keeper 14, preferably in the form of a spring, the free end of which extends over and lies upon the head of the pivot pin and the opposite end of which is secured to the whiffletree, as at 15, by means of a headed fastener, which will allow the spring to be swung to one side or the other out of engagement with the head of the pin for permitting said pin to jump out of place or be withdrawn by the driver, with the ..result that the whiffletree will be allowed to slide forward on the draft pole or tongue.

In order to prevent the whiftletree from escaping from the tongue and to guide said whiffletree in its sliding movement, oppositely-located keepers 16 are connected to the lower, side of the whililetree, as best shown in Fig. 4E, and provided with inbent terminal portions or extremities 17, which enter 1ongitudinal grooves 18 in theopposite sides of the tongue 10. e In the forward sliding movement of the whiffletree the keepers 16 come in contact with a stop-ring 19, surrounding the tongue and having a fixed relation thereto. In this waya limited sliding movement is allowed for the whiffletree after it is freed from its pivotal connection with the tongue.

A check-strap 20 is secured at its rear end to the running-gear or to the brake mechanism where the vehicle is equipped with such,

while the forward end of said strap is bifureated or provided with branches 21, which are secured to the inside portions of the bridles-of the horses or draft-animals. The check-strap is fixed and incapable of sliding,

so that when the whiffletree is freed and drawn forward by the animals the branches the other by the drivers foot or be swung in either direction by hand. When the keeper has been disengaged from the head of the pin,

vehicle, jump out of place, and should this not occur quickly enough the driver may lift the pin out of place thereby freeing the whiflletree, with the result hereinabove described.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangementhereinabove set forth, but reserve the right to change, modify, or vary the construction within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters atent, is"

1. In a horse-checking device, the combination with a Vehicle pole or tongue, of a whifliletree adapted to slide bodily on and lengthwise of the tongue, means for pivotally connecting the Whiffletree to the tongue and releasing the whifiietree, and a check-strap operating to draw the animals heads to one side during the sliding movement of the whiffletree.

2. In a horsechecking device, the combination with a vehicle pole or tongue, of a whiiilctrce having a sliding engagement therewith, a pivot-pin connecting the whiffle tree and tongue, a pin-retaining keeper adapted. to be thrown out of engagement with the pin for releasing the latter, and a check-strap adapted to draw the animals heads together when the whiflietree is released.

3. In a horse-checking device, the combination with a vehicle pole or tongue provided with longitudinal grooves in opposite sides thereof, of a whiftletree adapted to slide lengthwise of the tongue and having keepers working in the grooves in the tongue, a pivotpin connecting the whiffletree and tongue, a shiftable pin-retaining keeper carried by the whiifletree, and a check-strap having one end connected to the vehicle and the opposite end bifurcated to form branches for attachment to the bridles of the animals.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW I. HANSEN.

\Vitnesses:

WALDMAR F. WINTHERLICH, HANS J. W INTHERLIGH. 

